The Weekend Trip
by TalonStrike09
Summary: In which Spencer Reid takes a trip, reluctantly lets Morgan and Prentiss tag along, and immediately regrets all of it. From agents to kidnappers in a mere day, none of them can recall when it got so far out of hand, but they'll be hard-pressed to hide their crime when their own team is called in to take the case.
1. Chapter 1

Reid sat on a large, decaying log in the middle of the woods.

It was mid-afternoon, the sun was obnoxiously bright, and the sky a vivid blue without a single trace of clouds. The heat was unbearable.

Reid miserably stared at the muddy ground and his pale, long toes curling and squishing in the moist earth. He desperately yearned for the violent storm that hit the area just last night to come back. He'd take cold rain and thunder over a humid, summer day in a heartbeat. He agitatedly ran a shaking hand through his hair, bringing it back down to clutch at his forehead.

In front of him was a babbling creek, glistening blue and green and almost _sparkling _in the light. He'd throw himself into it if it weren't for fellow agent and friend, Emily Prentiss. She stood in the middle of the creek, pants rolled to her knees, sleeves pushed up as far as they would go on her shoulders.

Her hands were dripping blood.

Reid looked at her from between his trembling fingers. The urge to throw up had never been stronger. The reality of where they were—what they'd _done_—was finally hitting home, and hitting home _hard_.

Oh God. Oh _God_.

Reid stared as the water turned red.

They were going to jail. They would be caught, prosecuted, and packed off to the worst prison before they could even form a defense. The evidence was everywhere. On him, on her, on Morgan stuffing bodies into _his _rental van—_everywhere_.

Thinking of the other agent, Reid dropped his hand from his head and craned his neck around to search for him. About twenty feet away a battered, dirt-covered, white van was parked, its back doors wide open and four bodies lying lifelessly, unmoving, in the trunk. Morgan was pushing a fifth body inside, rolling it on top of the other four. Prentiss finally left the creek to stand beside Reid as Morgan slammed the van doors shut and wiped a hand across his sweating brow.

"You okay, Reid?" Prentiss asked.

Reid looked up at her incredulously. Prentiss winced.

"Right, sorry." She pat him on the shoulder, gave it a comforting squeeze. "Come on. Let's get moving. I don't want to stick around here any longer than you do." She walked ahead to join Morgan at the back of the van. Reid saw them talking, shooting him glances every once in a while. He sighed and stood, ran his hands through his hair a final time, and went to join them as well.

"You okay man?" Morgan questioned, studying him.

Reid looked at him the same way he looked at Prentiss.

Morgan wiped his brow again. "No point in waiting around," he finally said. "We should hit the road."

"But what about—" Reid's voice cracked, a bead of sweat slipped into his eyes. He rapidly blinked, face contorting, and struggled to clear his dry throat. Morgan and Prentiss exchanged hesitant looks. They reached out and rubbed his shoulders in an attempt to soothe him. All it made Reid want to do was cry. "What about the bodies?" he croaked.

There was a long, pregnant pause.

* * *

Two hours later they were on the road, driving back to Virginia.

The van was mostly silent and smelled like musk and mud. Prentiss, in the passenger seat, wound her window all the way down. Morgan did the same on the driver's side. They were on a highway, speeding at 75 miles per hour. All the air came whooshing through their windows, blasting Reid who couldn't really escape from it unless he jumped out the van. His eyes squinted, watering madly as his hair flew uncontrollably, whipping into his eyes, then back out, then back in again, and lashing and lashing and lashing across his forehead.

Prentiss uncomfortably shifted, her hand resting on the side of her head. "It's still so hot," she complained. "I wish this thing had a sun roof."

"You and me both," Morgan mumbled. He glanced in the rearview mirror. "You got enough air back there, kid?"

Reid hunching over, protectively trying to shield his face with his arms, was more than enough of an answer.

Morgan cringed and hastily put his window up, causing Prentiss to do the same. The air inside the van grew hot and stifling within moments. The three of them grew lost in their thoughts. Prentiss kept her eyes on the passing scenery, one foot on the dashboard, her other knee pulled to her chest. Her dark eyes were worried though her face fought to stay calm. Morgan drummed on the steering wheel, his gaze never straying from the open road ahead. His shoulders were tense, his arms rigid.

Reid didn't know what his two older friends were thinking about. All he could do was slouch in his seat, stare out the window, and wonder where he went so wrong.

It was supposed to be a simple, weekend vacation—a small camping trip into the Pennsylvania woods.

No one was supposed to get hurt. No one was even supposed to be with him!

He was no longer SSA Dr. Spencer Reid, young genius of the BAU.

He had transformed into SSA Dr. Spencer Reid, young genius of the BAU, and full-fledged kidnapper, equipped with two cohorts—Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss—who would no doubt spend the rest of their days behind bars along with him once they were caught. It was kind of an astonishing feat, what they managed to screw up over the weekend. Reid might've even been impressed if he wasn't directly involved.

But he was, heavily so, and no one would be clapping for what they did—except maybe the five men they kidnapped as he, Morgan, and Prentiss were carted off to jail.

One's choice, one's decision, one's unsaid refusal, one's panic, one's fear, one's utter desperation.

One, one, one, one, one, one, one…

Steadily, one by one, he'd let himself lose control. This was the consequence.

And it _sucked_.

* * *

**TBC...? **

**Yes, it will be haha. First attempt at a multi-chapter story. I'm trying hard to push past writer's block... Hopefully this will get me where I need to be, while giving you guys some entertainment of course!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Much thanks for the support so far! I'm glad you're interested in seeing where this goes! **

**I just realized I have no details for, well, _anything_ in the first chapter. You should probably know this story takes place around the beginning of the 4th season. Also, I forgot a disclaimer and warning. Whoops. **

**Warning (for the whole story): Language, slight violence?**

**Disclaimer: The show isn't mine, but the _story _is, hahahahahahaha**

* * *

_So many roads. So many detours. So many choices. So many mistakes. –Sarah Jessica Parker _

* * *

_Three Days Prior_

It was nearing 2:30 PM when Reid flipped the last file shut on his desk.

Even with the extra files Morgan and Prentiss had snuck in when he went to the bathroom or visited the break room for a cup of solitude and coffee had been completed to near perfection. He said 'near perfection' because his handwriting wasn't exactly the prettiest or most legible. His thoughts ran so fast his hands could barely keep up, and today, _today_, his fingers were flying fast enough to put a supercomputer to shame.

Speaking of computers…Reid smiled to himself and shut his down. He turned off the monitor, organized the few items on his desk that were out of place, and grabbed his messenger bag from the floor. He slid it around his shoulders and opened it up, his smile growing as he reached inside and pulled out a worn brochure.

It was of a historic town, Westbrook, nestled in the middle of fifty acres of woods and lakes in the northern Pennsylvania region. The town was nice enough—or so he gathered from the information on the brochure and on the Internet—had a small, local police force, three motels, a diner with 'unbeatable' pancakes, and some of the best nature trails in state. However, Reid wasn't all too interested in Westbrook itself.

The woods were what caught his attention.

Plenty of people camped during the summer months in the woods surrounding the town. They fished in the creeks, pitched tents, and spent their nights roasting marshmallows under the stars. And although Reid didn't plan on going to do any of those things, an extended weekend in the peaceful nature of the woods with a suitcase of books and no interruptions, was something he _desperately _wanted.

Hotch was a little surprised when Reid initially asked who he was supposed to talk to for finally putting his built up vacation days to good use, but easily helped him through the simple process and told him afterwards to have fun. However when Reid was about to leave the older man's office, Hotch had called him back to exchange a few last minute words.

Reid thoughtfully slid the brochure back into his messenger bag, replaying the odd conversation over in his head.

'_Reid…?'_

_He paused at the door and turned back. 'Yes sir?'_

_Hotch set down his pen, leaning forward on his desk. 'If you don't mind me asking, what made you want to take some time off after all these years?'_

'_I thought some fresh air would be nice. Why?'_

'_It's just—I know this last case was hard, especially on you. If you need to talk to someone…'_

_Reid furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. 'Um…no, I'm fine. That case was hard on everyone. It has nothing to do with me going on vacation.'_

'_If you're sure…' Hotch didn't look convinced. _

'_I am. I really am,' Reid assured him, though he wasn't too sure why his boss was showing sudden interest in his personal endeavors. He never seemed to question what Reid did during a normal weekend—why was taking a vacation during the weekend any different? _

_Hotch thoughtfully frowned, fixing him with a hard stare. 'Is anyone going with you?'_

'_Nope. It's just me and myself,' Reid goofily laughed at his own joke. Hotch continued to stare at him, gaze unrelenting. Reid's smile fell off his face. Now he was getting uncomfortable with the scrutiny Hotch had him under. _

'_What do you plan on doing?'_

'…_Relax?'_

_Hotch's eyes narrowed slightly. Reid blinked as he caught the implication of what his boss thought he meant. His mouth fell open slightly, a bit of disbelief and hurt crossing his face. _

'_Jeez Hotch! I'm just taking a small vacation! I fully intend on spending my three days reading and enjoying the sounds of nature!'_

_This time it was Hotch who blinked. He leaned back in his chair. 'You're only reading?'_

'Yes.' _Reid's reply was short, curt. _

'_It's not to meet a friend? Say…a woman?'_

_Reid did a double-take. 'WHAT?'_

_Hotch cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed. 'You've never taken off from work before. We have to _fight_ to get you to go home when you're sick,' he said. 'I assumed it was a special occasion you were taking off for. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed.'_

_Reid gaped at him for a long time. _

Things had gotten real awkward after that so Reid left with the full intention of ignoring his unit chief for the rest of the day.

The fact that Hotch thought he was leaving to spend time with a woman was beyond embarrassing, and a little insulting. Was him getting a girlfriend so special that it warranted some sort of vacation time?

Reid shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. That was several hours ago, he shouldn't be thinking on it now!

After all, he was leaving soon—the first of his team on a Thursday—for an undisturbed break.

He pushed back in his chair and cheerfully stood. He paused though, overcome briefly with the feeling he had forgotten something. Weird. He brushed the sudden thought aside. No, no... He'd made sure to handle most of everything ahead of time. He couldn't be forgetting anything. Assuring himself he was fine, Reid went back to smiling, and moved away from his desk, a light bounce to his steps. His actions caught the eye of his two colleagues sitting nearby.

"Whoa, kid, did you win the lottery or something?" Morgan asked, noticing the eager look on the younger agent's face.

Reid snorted. "Do you know how ridiculous that saying is? The odds of winning the lottery are 1 in 176 million. In fact, most people don't even have a winning number on the tickets that they buy! You're more likely to get struck by lightning than land the jackpot."

"Well I haven't been struck by lightning yet and even though I've bought over three hundred tickets in the last five years I've never won the lottery. What does that tell you?"

"That you should spend your money building a giant metal rod in your backyard instead of wasting it on tickets, and in the middle of storm, climb to the top of that rod and sit there."

Morgan laughed. "You're in a good mood today, kid. What gives?"

Prentiss, also having noticed Reid's excitement throughout the day, glanced over at him. "Yeah," she said, "I've been wondering that myself." She swiveled in her chair to give the young genius her full attention. "What's going on?"

"I'm leaving for the weekend," Reid proudly announced. "Taking a vacation. No cases, no early morning calls, no stress."

"What?" Morgan stared. "You're taking time off?"

Reid shrugged. "Technically I'm only missing one work day since I'll be back by Monday," he said. "But you're on your own tomorrow. I won't be around to handle your files."

Morgan lightly scoffed. "I don't know what you're talking about. We handle our own files," he retorted, though the grin he wore destroyed all semblance of innocence.

Prentiss grinned as well but looked more curious than anything else. "Where're you headed?"

Reid's smile was blinding. He rocked on his heels, unable to contain his glee. "Westbrook!" he squeaked. "I'm going to the woods!"

Prentiss looked at him, clearly surprised. "The woods?" she echoed.

Morgan disbelievingly laughed. "No way."

Reid merely raised his eyebrows at them.

At the younger agent's silence, Morgan stopped laughing. His eyes searched Reid's own for any signs of deceit. He sat back, blown, when he found no trace of lie. "You're actually going to the woods? Seriously?" he questioned. "What for? You writing a scientific journal on the variations of squirrels up there or something?"

Reid furrowed his eyebrows at Morgan, his eyes narrowing. "Why do you think I have nothing better to do than sit around writing journals?"

Morgan lifted his hands in a placating manner, cheekily grinning. Prentiss snorted at the two and pressed the question Morgan had asked.

"Well?"

Reid shrugged. "Camping? I don't know," he admitted. "I haven't figured it out yet."

"There's a first!" Prentiss teased. She shook her head. "I gotta say I'm as confused as Morgan is. Any reason is particular you're vacationing?"

"Not really."

The look Morgan and Prentiss shared said they thought otherwise. It was also very blatantly done in front of Reid who resisted the urge to roll his eyes and point out what he'd seen. He didn't, however, and cleared his throat to speak.

"I'm heading straight home to pack and hit the road," he told them, adjusting his messenger bag. Again he was struck with the feeling of forgetting something. Unable to discern what it was, he shook it off, saying, "I don't want to get caught in the evening rush hour. Not that you guys have to worry about that. You'll be here doing paperwork well past evening hours."

With a final wave of goodbye and a smug smile he couldn't quite keep from spreading across his face, Reid exited the bullpen, leaving behind two teammates he was sure was very jealous of him at the moment.

He felt their burning stares the entire way to the elevator.

* * *

Where Reid actually wound up for a good fifteen minutes after he left was a car rental shop a couple of blocks away from the FBI Quantico Headquarters.

He called a week ago to find a car that would suit his needs and filled out the papers in advance. All he had to do was get the keys.

He walked into the shop and straight to the front counter where a bored looking man slouched, clicking away at a computer. Reid surmised from the pauses in between the man's clicking of the mouse and the look of intense concentration on his face that he was playing Solitaire. Or maybe Mine Sweep. The man tore his attention from whichever game he was playing to tend to Reid's need, humming uninterestedly when the young genius told him he was only here to pick his ride for the next three days up.

It wasn't anything impressive; a small brown car, low to the ground, eerily resembling a beetle. Not that Reid cared for looks. Its mileage was good and the price for renting was cheap enough.

"Have fun wherever the hell you plan on going with that thing," the man working the counter snorted.

Reid thanked the man and accepted the keys.

Although he preferred to take the metro to work—and on occasions when he was up far too early to walk—he had no intention on taking multiple trains to Pennsylvania, much less sit in such a crowded space. And flying was honestly too much of a hassle. Why would he bother going through airport security when he could just drive through the state to reach his destination? Besides, the drive could prove to be very relaxing.

* * *

An hour later, Reid was loading his luggage into his car parked in the lot of his apartment building. It was around 5:00 PM. There were other cars around but no people. He knew most of his neighbors were either at work or already inside their own apartments. The knowledge almost made Reid disappointed. He wanted one of them to stop and ask where he was going. Mrs. Fiddler from down the hall always took an interest in what he was up to, telling him he needed to get out more.

Oh well… he'd have to tell her when he came back.

Reid shoved his suitcase full of books in the floor space behind the passenger seat and set his actual bag full of enough clothes, money, and personal hygiene items in the back seat. He shut the door, satisfied with the finality of the sound it made. He was doing it. He was going off on his own. Reid smiled. He took one final look around him and then meandered to the driver's side of the car.

Once inside he strapped his seatbelt on, adjusted his rearview mirror, and stuck his key in the ignition. He didn't turn it though, his eyes falling to the radio instead. He fiddled with the dial for a moment, thoughts wandering.

It was a long drive to Pennsylvania and he wasn't too big a fan of messing with the radio once he started driving. He knew how high the percentage of a car accident occurring raised when the driver's attention was divided. His favorite stations were full of static and pop music made him want to drive a screwdriver through his brain. In the end he left the radio off, deciding maybe silence was best. Sitting for a moment, the bizarre, nagging feeling that he was forgetting something resurfaced.

What was it…? Was it something important? It was disconcerting that he couldn't remember.

Reid chewed on his lower lip, slowly retracing the events of the day in his mind for anything that stood out.

_Knock knock knock! _

A light rapping against the glass of the passenger window distracted him.

Bewildered Reid turned. He blinked several times as if to convince himself what he was seeing was really there. "_Morgan?_"

Sure enough it was the older man live and in the flesh. There was no other bald head in the world that could catch the sun quite like Derek Morgan's—or blind people within a five foot radius when the afternoon sun hit its highest peak. A black duffel bag was casually slung over his shoulder, gripped by two fingers. He was dressed in the same clothes he wore to work that day: a dark t-shirt, black jeans and boots. What in the world…?

Reid didn't realize how long he'd been staring until Morgan knocked on the window again, grinning widely.

"Hey, pretty boy! Open up!" he called, voice slightly muffled by the glass.

Reid warily eyed the duffel bag, reluctantly choosing to lean over and unlock the door. He pushed it open some. "Morgan? What are you—?" he started to ask.

Suddenly the bag was thrown at his head. Reid yelped as something hard inside smacked him in the face. Faster than he could react, Morgan slid into the car, slammed the car door shut, and buckled himself in. He cheerfully snatched his bag from Reid's lap and tossed it in the backseat along with the rest of luggage the younger agent had brought along. Reid rubbed his aching nose, bewildered, and a bit irritated.

"Why aren't you at work?" he demanded to know. "And what are you doing in my car? Get out!"

Morgan smiled. "I was sitting in my chair back in the bullpen thinking 'Reid going on vacation? Something's got to be going on! A lady friend maybe?' I went to Hotch to see what he knew but he said it definitely didn't seem to be a woman."

What the heck? Morgan too? Did _everyone _think a woman would be the reason why he'd take time off? Reid made a face. And why was Morgan gossiping with Hotch?

"Then I thought to myself 'I never really see the kid outside of work. Huh. Wonder what he does'," Morgan continued, ignoring the myriad of emotions playing across Reid's face. "So I decided what better way to find out then to take a small vacation myself."

"That leaves us two team members down," Reid protested, searching for excuses. Anything to make the older man reconsider and really think about what he was doing. "What if they get called on a case?"

"You know we _have _other teams in the BAU and Strauss doesn't _completely _hate us. We just got back from a crappy case full of long hours, mutilated bodies, and five days of chasing a deranged unsub. Hotch said it was basically promised that the rest of this week was our own. It was gonna be a long Friday full of paperwork and a weekend with a honey or two. As much fun as that sounds to me, camping away from Quantico, surrounded by fresh air sounds even better."

Reid stared. "You're kidding."

"Nope!" Morgan comfortably slouched in the seat.

"But—but you_ can't_ come with me, this is _my _vacation time!" Reid exclaimed, trying to wrap this information around his head.

"Aww, don't get upset," Morgan teased, reaching over and ruffling his hair. Reid slapped his hand away with a scowl.

"I'm serious Morgan. I intended to go alone and that's what I plan on doing."

"That's boring; you'll get lonely."

"I won't."

"I guarantee you will."

"No."

Morgan rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Come on man, what's the harm? I brought my own stuff—I'll even split the bill for gas!"

Now Reid was exasperated. "_Why?"_ What was the other man being so insistent for?

"I haven't been camping in _ages_. When you said you were going to the woods, I have to tell you I was surprised. Never pegged you for the woodsy type. Anyway, that got me thinking. We've never really hung out besides in the workplace and on occasions where we get dinners as a team. This is a good chance for me to get to know you and you to get to know me. Good 'ole bonding."

Reid's face twisted in disbelief. "Uh, we've worked together for over three years. You couldn't have tried to 'get to know me' during any of that?"

Morgan shrugged. "The time wasn't right."

"It's not the right time _now _either," Reid insisted.

"Look man, I'm not getting out the car. You can either bring me with you or we can both sit here until Monday when your vacation's long over. You can try and push me out the car but I gotta tell you, it won't be easy."

Reid gaped, for the first time in a long time at a loss for words. Some part of his brain, the logical part, told him he had the choice to force Morgan to leave; that he was the one in control since it was _his _car and _his _trip. The many other parts of his brain short-circuited and were thus pretty useless. Why was Morgan doing this? Did he have an ulterior motive?

Reid couldn't wrap his mind around it, nor did he want to try. He could feel the stress of the situation start to swell inside. He tried to think of the upside to bringing Morgan along—there had to be at least a couple.

Hmm…

Nope. Reid was drawing about fifteen-hundred blanks.

"-eid? Reid? You still there, kid?"

Reid released a deep breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His shoulders slouched, fingers gripping his steering wheel lightly in thought. He was going to regret this. Somehow he knew. There was an unsettling feeling in his gut. Still…he had already requested for the days off, and it would look odd if he came back after boasting so happily about his time away from the office. Not to mention… how bad would it look if he decided not to go because of _Morgan_?

"I don't believe this," he mumbled, voice pitching halfway into a whine. He turned his head. Morgan was looking at him, dark eyes unreadable, eyebrows questionably raised.

Reid scowled. "Fine._" _He twisted his key in the ignition, shifting the car out of Park. "_Fine_."

Morgan's smile couldn't be wider once he realized that Reid was actually letting him come along. Honestly if the kid had tossed him out the car, Morgan would've just taken it in good stride and told Reid to have a blast. Admittedly it would've been much more amusing to have Reid book it from the parking lot, frazzled and flustered as he was prone to act when he got really worked up.

Ah well.

Reid was making an even better choice! Morgan couldn't wait to see how the young genius was when he wasn't neck-deep in files or profiling on a case. Especially in the woods—the _woods _of all places! Morgan wound down his window halfway before turning to grin at Reid.

Reid eyeballed him testily, noticing the far too pleased look on his friend's face. "Just so you know, I am _not _happy about this."

Morgan just chuckled. "You'll warm up to the idea in about an hour or so." He clapped his hands together. "Let's get this show on the road, pretty boy!"

Reid rolled his eyes and stepped on the gas pedal much harder than necessary.

The tires squealed, the car shooting forward.

And that was how he ran over Prentiss.

* * *

**TBC...**

**I hope the chapter wasn't too much of a bore. Sometimes beginnings are slow! **

**Also, I will try my best to update once a week. On occasion I might go nuts and post two chapters in the timespan I've given myself. Just letting you guys know in case any of you were curious :) And if not- I apologize haha**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry for it being a couple days late. It was a struggle my friends, it really was. **

**And SO much longer than I'd thought it be! **

**Ah well. **

**Happy 4th of July to my fellow Americans! And happy wishes for a good day to everyone else! :)**

* * *

Prentiss flew onto the dashboard with a resounding _smack_, rolling off just as quickly to hit the ground as Reid slammed on the brakes.

Not even halfway out the parking spot and he had already killed someone.

Fantastic.

More than a little stunned at the turn of events, Reid was physically unable to do anything but stare straight at the smudge on his windshield and hope to _God _what looked like a human handprint belonged to a human that was still alive. Morgan's eyes were also on the handprint and he seemed to share the same sentiment. The blanket of silence that had fallen over them was heavily mixed.

"Was that Emily?" Reid finally asked in a strangled voice.

"Oh my God." Morgan's jaw dropped in horror. "You killed her."

He and Reid exchanged a look, and instead of leaving the car to check on Prentiss like a pair of good friends would do, remained securely buckled in, double-checking that their doors were locked and windows shut. They were most definitely overreacting, but for some reason they couldn't get past the illogical thought that they needed to hide and protect themselves after almost committing what was most certainly under the category of vehicular manslaughter.

For a moment the only sound the two men could hear was the blood rushing in their ears.

Two minutes slowly ticked by. The person they hit showed no signs of getting up and walking away—or coming over to bang on their window. Oh. That wasn't good.

They shouldn't just sit here, right? They should probably do something…right?

"This is stupid," Reid said at last. His heart thumped madly in his chest. "She could really be hurt! We should check on her!"

So the two hurriedly unbuckled themselves and threw themselves out the crooked car. Prentiss was pushing herself onto her elbows, grimacing and holding a hand to her head. Morgan quickly went to her side.

"Prentiss, are you okay?"

She didn't answer, lips twisting into a deep frown. Morgan mirrored her expression.

"Prentiss… _Prentiss_."

Reid knelt on her other side and batted Morgan away. He studied her for a bit, gently coaxing her hand from where it was pressed against her forehead. A sizable, shiny purple bump was already making itself known above her right brow. Thankfully there was no blood, and other than a hard whack to the skull, Prentiss wasn't injured anywhere else.

"She's alright," Reid said over Prentiss's head to Morgan. "I think she has a concussion though."

"Should we take her to the hospital?" Morgan reasonably questioned.

Reid furrowed his eyebrows. "No. I think it'd be wiser to wait for her to reorient herself with her surroundings. Then we can see if she needs help or not."

Although Morgan looked like he disagreed, he didn't say so aloud and merely rocked onto his haunches to wait.

They sat for ten minutes.

Thankfully halfway through the eleventh minute, the dazed look on Prentiss's face changed to one of confusion and then recognition.

"Morgan…? Reid…?"

Both men's shoulders visibly slumped in relief.

"Hey, lady," Morgan began, "How do you feel?"

Prentiss grimaced. "Like someone beat me over the head with a bat."

Morgan made a face. "Pretty close."

"What happened?"

"Reid hit you with his car."

Reid scowled. "Morgan!"

The older man shrugged. "I'm just telling it how it is."

"I didn't Prentiss, not really anyway," Reid hurriedly babbled, irritated at Morgan for leaving him to hang on his own. "I didn't see you and I know I should've been more careful since I was behind the wheel and all, and I am really sorry you know but—"

"Reid, _Reid_," Prentiss cut him off, laughing slightly. She stood to her feet with the aid of both men and then shook them off. "My head's a little sore but I'm alright."

"We can go to the hospital," Morgan suggested.

_Take her to the hospital yourself so I can take this vacation on my own, _Reid sourly thought. Though in reality he knew he'd be right beside Morgan in taking their colleague to get checked out.

"No, that's not necessary," Prentiss politely refused. "Some ice will do. It's just a nasty bump."

"And a concussion," Reid added.

"And a _minor _concussion," Prentiss dutifully repeated.

Reid sighed. "Emily, what were you doing here?" he asked, speaking on both his behalf and Morgan's.

"Oh!" Prentiss dropped her hand to her jacket pocket. There was a small crease in her brow. "You must've been really excited to go on this trip, Reid. You forgot your cell phone at your desk." She offered the rectangular phone towards the younger agent. Reid took it in his palm in surprise. Was this what he thought he was forgetting all along? Something flagged in the back of his mind. No. It wasn't… Still, he couldn't believe he overlooked leaving his phone behind. It would've been terrible if something happened and he was unable to contact anyone.

"Thank you," he mumbled, sliding it into the back pocket of his pants. He paused, thinking on something, and then looked at Prentiss in disbelief. "You came all the way here to drop off my phone?"

"Of course," she answered, looking at him like she thought he was crazy. "It's kind of important to have if you're going away for a while."

"I bet it wasn't worth getting hit by a car," Morgan snorted.

Prentiss whacked him in the arm but didn't reply to him. She touched the ugly bump on her forehead and exhaled lightly. "It'll hurt for a bit… Anyway, take care on your vacation, Reid. See you on Monday."

"Now hold on. Why don't you let us drive you home?" Morgan offered.

Reid sent him a small glare. There he went again…saying and doing things without asking first… Morgan blatantly ignored the set of eyes glowering in his direction.

Prentiss caught the tension between the two and immediately waved her hands in refusal. "No, it's alright. Besides, I can't leave my car here. It might get towed."

"They don't tow the cars away that are left here," Reid couldn't help but say at her lack of knowledge on the subject.

"Well even if that's true, I'm a capable person," Prentiss replied. "I'll make it back in one piece." She stopped as a thought finally occurred to her. "Wait a second. 'Us'? Morgan, you're going with him?"

"Sure am!" Morgan slung a friendly arm around Reid's shoulder. Reid immediately shrugged him off, rolling his eyes.

"Wow. I'm not too sure how he convinced you Reid," Prentiss sympathetically said. "But good luck."

"I'm not that bad!" Morgan protested.

"You are," Reid half-heartedly muttered.

Prentiss laughed a bit and then carefully turned around to search for her car. She was a little hazy on the details of where she parked it… She located a few spots down after a long minute. She made it two steps away before Morgan called out to her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Prentiss warily looked over her shoulder, confused. "Home…?"

Morgan's disapproval was written all over his face. "Uh-uh. You're coming with us Prentiss."

"I'd rather not," Prentiss began to say, trying to walk past them. Morgan adamantly stood in her way and gave Reid a hard look.

"You shouldn't drive with a concussion," the young genius found himself saying in response. "The odds of you getting into a crash are significantly higher from lack of concentration. It's dangerous." It really was. It wasn't all too hard to picture what could possibly happen if Prentiss drove at less than one-hundred percent. He couldn't let her. After all, loathe as he was to admit it, it _was _him who hit her with his car. But still the older woman tried to argue.

"Guys really, I think I'll be okay—"

Morgan set a friendly hand on her shoulder. "We're taking you to your home."

Prentiss sighed. There was no way out of this. "Fine, fine." She glanced at Reid. "Are you sure you don't mind? This is your vacation time, right?"

Reid let out a small sigh of his own. "Yeah, but I'd feel terrible if something happened to you because of me," he replied.

"…Okay then. But no putting my address into your GPS! I don't want you guys remembering where I live."

"I don't need a GPS. I'll remember," Reid idly mused.

"I won't," Morgan grumbled.

Prentiss smirked. "Good."

They all piled into Reid's crappy rental car, and after some half-serious teasing from Morgan about watching the road, set off to Emily's apartment.

* * *

Emily had a really nice apartment.

That was the first thing both Morgan and Reid noted as they were led through the apartment door. They said as much aloud.

Prentiss thanked them before slowly making her way to the kitchen area.

Despite how well put-together her place was, Reid couldn't help but notice how plain the walls were; how clean the furniture was. It spoke of comfort but also of emptiness. Reid and Morgan stood a little awkwardly near her door. Prentiss laughed when she saw them.

"You guys can make yourself comfortable," she said.

They moved a little more ways inside.

"How come you've never invited us here before?" Morgan asked, wearing a look of mock hurt.

Prentiss raised her eyebrows. "I planned on having you guys over sometime."

Morgan snorted. "When?"

"In the very distant future. I never thought you guys would run me over just to get an invite," Prentiss joked.

"Sorry," Reid mumbled. He glanced around what little of the apartment he could see again. "Do…you ever have anyone over?" he hesitatingly questioned after a moment.

Prentiss blinked at him and then laughed. "I don't generally bring people over on the first date, and the men I go out with usually don't make it past the second or third. It's just me in this place—not that I mind. I was thinking of getting a cat. They're good company, you know," she smiled with a wince, grabbing an ice pack from her freezer.

"Ah…"

"Emily…"

Prentiss turned to find Morgan and Reid with pitying looks on their faces. She made a small noise in the back of her throat. "Oh come on, don't look at me like that!"

"Why don't you join us?" Morgan offered after a somewhat odd silence.

Prentiss waved her hands in refusal. "No, I couldn't intrude."

"She really couldn't," Reid said, burning holes into the back of Morgan's head. He didn't say it to be rude, he really didn't but…did Morgan forget whose vacation this was?

Prentiss looked taken aback for only a brief moment. And for that brief moment, Reid felt like the crappiest person on the face of the planet and Morgan felt like the man to set him straight.

He pulled Reid aside, discreetly looking over his shoulder to see if Prentiss was trying to eavesdrop. She wasn't. She was sitting on her couch, reading the magazine she had grabbed while pressing the ice pack to her head. Huh. Morgan inwardly shrugged and turned his attention back to Reid who was trying to squirm from under his arm. Guess she wasn't all too interested in what he had to say.

On the contrary, Prentiss was very curious as to what Morgan was going to say to Reid. However she also knew it was very pointless to try and listen in on a conversation that was clearly about _her_. Her eyes caught a pair of boots at the bottom of the magazine page she was on; her attention diverted. What the hell? On _sale_ for 125 dollars? Who would buy boots that expensive?

…Rossi. Garcia. JJ.

Oblivious to Prentiss's musings less than ten feet away was Morgan who had his arm tightly slung around an irate Reid's shoulder.

"Look man…"

"Morgan, let go of me," Reid hissed.

"You're being rude to Prentiss," Morgan replied. "Besides, I know you feel bad about her staying here for the weekend—alone."

"Of course I feel bad. Being all by yourself sucks, but I don't see anyone too worried about me when _I'm _by myself."

"Kid, you're never by yourself. And if you are, it's by choice. And anyway, I've seen you in the park playing chess before. Those people adore you."

Reid pulled away some to stare at the older man. "How do you know that?"

Morgan stared back. "You must be joking. You think in all this time we've been together I wouldn't be the _slightest _bit curious about what _Dr. Reid _does in his spare time?"

Reid didn't say anything to that. It wasn't that he couldn't—because he definitely could say something back—it was just that what he would answer with would be highly insulting with a few choice words of 'creepy' and 'stalker' thrown in. Instead he clamped his mouth shut and fixed Morgan with a steely glare. If the man wanted to know what he did in his spare time, he could have easily picked up the phone, called him, and schedule to meet somewhere to hang out. But maybe it wasn't that easy for Morgan... Maybe…

Nearly a year ago, Reid had once overhead Rossi and Hotch talking after hours in the latter's office. They were drinking scotch and Reid easily assumed they were catching up on old times as the two were prone to do when left alone for long periods of time. He didn't expect to hear his name when he walked by though. And now that Reid thought back to what they said…

'_Does Reid intimidate you?' _

_Reid stopped a little ways behind the door, eyebrows furrowing at the use of his name. Why would Hotch ask that? The blinds to the office were shut. Reid doubted they could see him hesitating outside. He frowned, debating whether or not to stick around. It was none of his business whatever they were talking about, and he knew they wouldn't appreciate him listening in if they caught him, but… _

'_Intimidate me? Reid is hardly intimidating, Aaron. I've seen newborn kittens more intimidating.'_

'_I don't mean physically, Dave. You and I both know he's no alpha male.'_

'…_You're asking if I feel threatened by his _intelligence_?' _

_Reid was just as disbelieving as Rossi sounded. _

'_I know you are,' Hotch flatly said. 'I'm a profiler too. Maybe not as experienced as you, but it doesn't take an expert profiler to see how uncomfortable you are around him.'_

'_I'm not uncomfortable. I just don't want him to latch onto me like he did with Gideon.'_

'_He won't.'_

'_And you know that…?'_

'_He finds you fascinating and is more than excited to work alongside a 'legend' like you. At least he was in the beginning. I think your disinterest scared him off.'_

_Rossi mumbled something in reply but Reid didn't hear. His mind was too busy whirring madly in thoughts, rebuttals, and embarrassment. _

_He didn't mean to make the elder agent uncomfortable. He thought Rossi would be just as eager as him to find someone to talk his theories and discoveries on serial killers with. Oh man, did everyone on the team know Rossi had absolute zero interest in speaking to him? The mere mention of Gideon made him a little sore, and in no way had he wanted Rossi to believe Reid saw him as a mentor. In all actuality Reid wanted Rossi to see his intelligence and worth, because as Hotch and everyone else agreed, he _was _no alpha male. In fact, at first glance, people assumed he was a probationary agent, out of his element, out of his field. _

_Reid visibly deflated a bit. He turned around with the full intention of walking away to mope. Hotch's next words, however, made him halt. _

'_It's understandable, being intimidated by him. I'll admit I don't have a single clue what he does in his spare time. It's too pitiful thinking of him alone at home, surrounded by books.'_

_The amount of levels Reid stood insulted on was too many to count. He was far from a confrontational person, but that might easily change in the next instant. He did _more _than sit alone at home and read books! There was plenty he did on his own. He went to the park to read. He went to coffee shops to enjoy the atmosphere and read. Before his vicious struggle to overcome his drug addiction, he'd wander around at night until he found a perfect spot to enjoy the silence and read. _

…_Huh. _

_Reid's shoulders sagged. Now he really did walk away, ready to throw himself the perfect pity party. In his apartment. Alone. Surrounded by books. _

_Damn. _

Back to the present from that fairly upsetting memory, Reid frowned and studied Morgan's unreadable eyes to the best of his ability. The thought that Morgan, joking, overly friendly but never short on an insult concerning Reid—_that _Morgan, was intimidated to hang out with him because of his intelligence was baffling. Was Morgan scared of what he would discover about Reid if they did? If that wasn't the most ridiculous…!

Reid was well aware the members on his team—save for JJ and Garcia really—were baffled as to who the person behind the brain was.

But…

_Really? _He wasn't that unapproachable.

"Reid. You still with me, kid?" Morgan's voice, as it usually did, broke him from his wandering thoughts. Reid sent him a sideways glance.

"I've already agreed to bring you on _my _vacation. If I wanted the whole team to come along I would've handed out invitations," he sharply quipped.

"You're just gonna leave her all by herself? That's not right," Morgan chided, shaking his head. "You gave her a concussion."

"_Me_?" Reid squeaked. "I didn't mean to hit her—that was _your _fault!"

Morgan looked at him. "The blame-game? Really? What are we, five?" He folded his arms across his chest. "Anyway you should've been paying closer attention to what was in front of you instead of the gas pedal. It's your fault, take some responsibility."

"You take some responsibility!"

"_Guys_," Prentiss's exasperated interruption caused them to turn around. She looked at them with a half-smile on her face. "Look Morgan, I really appreciate the offer to come along, but I know when I'm not wanted. It's fine. You two go on and have fun!" she insisted.

Reid frowned. Why'd she have to put it that way? '_I know when I'm not wanted'. _ Something uncomfortable in him stirred. Before he knew it his mouth had opened and he was reassuring Prentiss otherwise. "We weren't saying you couldn't come along. We were talking about…uh, how we'd fit your things into the car I rented. It's pretty small."

Both Prentiss and Morgan's faces were surprised. Morgan's surprise morphed into a wide smile and he brought Reid in for a noogie to the head.

"My man!" he exclaimed.

"Your 'man' will kill you if you don't get off," Reid muttered, flustered as he tried to get away.

Prentiss's expression quickly became pleased. "I'll—I'll go get my things," she said over Reid's struggling. She headed for her bedroom, idly pressing the ice pack to her head again. Prentiss could hardly believe Reid was actually letting her go with them. She wasn't too sure what convinced him, but there was no way she'd turn down an opportunity to spend the weekend in the woods with the pair. She could easily envision the laughs, arguments, and good time they'd have.

A large grin broke out on Prentiss's face.

She'd make sure Reid wouldn't regret bringing her along.

* * *

Reid was really regretting bringing Prentiss along.

His car was now packed to the max. The trunk of the car was jammed so badly neither Morgan, Prentiss, nor the three of them together with a crowbar from under Prentiss's bed, could pry it open. Stock full of bags and fully equipped with Prentiss, himself, and Morgan, his car was pressed even lower to the ground than it was when he rented it.

Wow. He knew this car was terrible. He didn't think it was _this _terrible though. Could they even make it up hills without rolling backwards?

Reid glanced in his rearview mirror. Prentiss was already buckled in.

Too late to tell her to get out then.

Reid clicked his own seatbelt in and readjusted his rearview mirror. Beside him Morgan began to shuffle around.

"Pass me my bag," he said to Prentiss.

Prentiss did as told and as Morgan rummaged through his bag, Reid stuck his key into the ignition. With a couple of twists the engine pathetically came to life, rumbling half-heartedly. Again Reid found himself wondering if his car would last the trip. Morgan threw his bag behind him and shuffled once more.

"We good to go, kid?" he asked.

Reid glanced at him, looked away, and then turned his head back to stare. He nearly choked. "Morgan…"

The older man tucked a donut-shaped pillow behind his neck, lifting his eyebrows at Reid. "What? Jealous you didn't think to bring something for your neck?" He laughed and slumped down in the seat to get comfortable. "Don't blame me if it goes stiff, kid."

"Morgan," Reid said again. His eyes were very large. "That's a pillow for hemorrhoids."

"Ha ha. Hilarious."

"I'm not kidding."

Prentiss leaned forward to inspect the pillow. "Oh my God." She looked at Morgan, trying not laugh. "That _is _for hemorrhoids."

Morgan quickly removed the pillow and stuffed it at his feet. He sat back up, disgruntled. "Both of you shut up."

Snorting in amusement, Reid pulled away from Prentiss's apartment complex—very carefully he might add—and drove them onto the road.

This was it. They were finally on their way!

For thirty minutes they drove through the streets of Virginia.

Morgan and Prentiss spoke the most, about Vonnegut and sports, and dancing in the club. Reid occasionally joined in, idly rambling statistics or squeaking in disbelief at the sly comments made about why he didn't dance with everyone else. Despite how many times Reid argued that he found himself clumsy and more likely to elbow the others on the dance floor in the face, Morgan and Prentiss held onto the firm belief that Reid was too humble to admit he was a dancing genius as well.

After a while conversation dwindled.

There was a comfortable lull in the car Reid didn't expect to have. He wasn't too sure why.

The people on his BAU team were all pretty close to one another—even Rossi had immersed himself in the group, despite the rough start. It was most likely because of what Morgan mentioned earlier. They were a strong team and colleagues who trusted one another with their lives, however it was rare for all seven of them to gather together and do group activities _outside _the workplace just for the sake of having fun.

Hopefully that would change over time. It'd be nice, Reid absently thought. If the bond between them got that strong.

He cast a short glance at Morgan craning his neck to joke with Prentiss.

Maybe this was a start to that sort of bond. Reid soon grew lost in his thoughts.

It was a good thing he memorized the map of Virginia, otherwise he might've hit a pole with the amount of focus he currently lacked. In the quietness of the car, the unsettling feeling he had before came back at full force. Even though he had his phone….! Reid inwardly shook his head. Why wouldn't he get rid of the odd sensation something else vital had been left behind? It was unusual he couldn't remember. Why couldn't he? How frustrating! What _was _it?

A hand casually pushed his head.

"Hey, we're on vacation now," Morgan said. "Get that worried look off your face. And why are you spacing out at the wheel, man? Should you be driving?"

Reid rolled his eyes and pulled onto the highway. "Shut up."

"Oh, Reid!" Prentiss suddenly said to him. "I have something for you. A thank-you gift, I guess, since you let me take this vacation with you."

For some reason Reid felt embarrassed. "Emily, you didn't have to…"

"I wanted to." She handed him a plain CD case with an unmarked CD inside. She watched as Reid handed the case to Morgan for him to open and as Morgan inspected the disk. "It was something I made a while ago. I thought you might be interested," she said.

Morgan put the CD inside the player of the car.

There were several moments of silence as the disk was processed…

And then—

The most heart-wrenching, ear-screeching violin began to play. Reid was so alarmed he nearly swerved the car into the opposite lane. The violin was joined by four others and followed by a driven piano.

"You've got to be kidding," Morgan deadpanned.

The same thought flew through Reid's head. He liked strings well enough, but this music was crushing any and all joy he felt for life. The gesture was nice though and Reid found he didn't have the heart to tell Emily the negative affects of her gift. He glanced at her in the rearview mirror, noticing her slightly worried, expectant gaze. With great, great willpower, Reid smiled at her.

"I love it," he said. "Thanks."

Emily smiled back. "Of course." In her head, however, she couldn't stop thinking how terrible the music was. But hey—Reid was nice enough to let her travel with him. She wouldn't complain aloud. Morgan, however, had no such qualms.

"You guys have weird taste," he grumbled loudly. "We better not be listening to this the whole way there."

Reid glared. "You can walk you know."

"That's not too bad of an idea," Morgan snorted. "At the speed you're going I could make it there on foot _way _before you got there."

"I'm driving _safe_, Morgan."

"You're driving like a snail. We're on the highway, man! Pick up the pace! You won't run over any one out here!"

Prentiss scoffed and punched Morgan in the arm. "Not funny."

Morgan laughed, beginning to tease her. Prentiss snorted and teased back. Reid resigned himself to being dragged into their taunts.

And it was like this, to the tune of horribly sad violins and piano, the trio sped down the highway and on their way to a fun time in the woods.

* * *

***sigh* **

**TBC...**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I AM REPOSTING THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE I REALIZED HOW HORRIBLE IT WAS GRAMATICALLY HAHAHA! I APPRECIATE THOSE WHO REVIEWED, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID IT, THIS MUST HAVE BEEN PAINFUL FOR YOU GUYS TO READ HAHAHA! I WROTE IT AROUND 1AM, SO I AM VERY SORRY :D**

**Hey guys! So sorry for this late post. I just wanted to let my readers know that I've recently taken on a two week summer camp job. It's LITERALLY all day, all night, with no time in between for anything but sleep at 1 in the morning only to wake up at 6, five hours later. **

…**Awesome right? **

**I think it's safe to say not to expect another chapter this week or the following one!**

**I'm so sorry about this but I really am not able to!**

**Also, apologies for this short, shameful chapter. Hopefully it gives you something to look forward to…? **

* * *

The bullpen was quiet. Many of the main lights were dimmed, leaving only the office lights of Hotch and Rossi on.

Rossi's blinds were tightly closed. He sat in his chair, the lamp on the corner of his desk glowing orange, casually drinking scotch. It was after hours; only a prude would continue to work well after their paying hours ended. Well—except for the determined, driven, and ready-to-be-prepared-for-tomorrow-sort of people. And there was nothing wrong with that. Rossi simply wasn't one of them. So he sat and drank and mused over life.

Hotch's blinds, on the other hand, were wide open. He worked diligently on the last of his reports, signing and signing away until his fingers cramped. It was when his writing hand started twitching uncontrollably that he finally set his pen down. With years of practiced movement, he flipped the current report he had been filling out shut, pushed back in his chair, and stood, wearing a weary frown. He used to have a face that smiled and bid farewell to his coworkers with ease. Now all he had to greet them with were grim looks and suppressed emotion.

_Those were the days_, Hotch regretfully mused. He packed his belongings and grabbed his coat, slinging it over an arm. Soon he was locking his office behind him.

A short glance in the direction of Rossi's office made Hotch shake his head.

He had a fairly good idea of what was going on in there. He thought about stopping in, but if the man's blinds were shut, more often than not it was a closed invitation that involved Rossi and _only_ Rossi. So instead Hotch bid the man a mental 'goodnight' and jogged down the stairs into the bullpen.

He had just made it to the bottom when his cell phone began to ring.

He pulled it from his suit pocket and stopped, eyebrows lowering as he saw the name 'Prentiss' light up across the screen. It was nearly eight at night. Unless something was wrong Hotch really couldn't think of anything reason she'd be calling. With great caution he answered.

"Is something the matter?" he immediately questioned.

"_Y-Yeah_," came Prentiss' hoarse croak.

"Prentiss?" Hotch warily pressed.

"_I-I'm so sorry Hotch but_—" she coughed horrendously, choking and gagging on air.

Hotch held the phone away from his ear and grimaced a bit.

"_I'm sick_," Prentiss finally managed. "_I_—" she coughed some more. "_I don't t-think I'll be a-able to come in—into work tomorrow_."

Hotch frowned. "Of course not. Stay at home."

"_Great. Thanks_!"

Before Hotch had a chance to suspiciously question Prentiss' sudden jubilee, the line was cut. He lowered the phone, wondering at the call. Earlier today Prentiss looked perfectly fine. Well…he _supposed _she could have been hiding her sickness. She was always really good and keeping things hidden that she preferred others not to know about. Still…the abrupt, severe coughing seemed like a bit much…

He pocketed his phone, deciding it was best just to go home and get some rest. It had been a long day.

"Hey, Aaron."

Hotch paused at the sound of Rossi's voice. He turned to regard the older man leaning on the railing above the bullpen. "Prentiss called in sick for tomorrow," he reported.

Rossi's eyebrows flew high on his forehead. "That's three members of our team out."

"I know," Hotch worriedly replied. "I doubt we'll be sent on any cases, other than to possibly consult but…"

"Don't worry, we won't be going anywhere," Rossi confidently assured him.

Hotch furrowed his eyebrows. "But Strauss—"

"Erin knows better," Rossi interrupted. A small, secretive smile sat on his face.

Hotch inwardly blanched. What?

No.

Actually no.

What was with that smile?

Rossi pushed away from the railing. "Anyway, I stopped you for a reason."

Hotch merely looked at him.

Rossi jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of his office. "I was scoping the Internet, reading tabloids, checking up on the news…the usual."

Hotch cautiously nodded. "Right…"

"An interesting article caught my eye. Triple homicide in northern Pennsylvania."

"And you think there's a chance we might be called in on it?" Hotch confusedly asked.

"I think if it escalates any further we will."

"You already see an M.O. to the murders?"

"Possibly. It's hard to tell now."

Hotch continued to frown. Rossi gazed at him for a moment and then released a short laugh. "Put down your jacket, Aaron," he said. "You look like you could use a drink or two."

"Don't you want to drink alone?"

Rossi snorted. "You have no idea how old it gets."

Very soon afterwards Hotch found himself in Rossi's office.

It had been a long day.

* * *

_Meanwhile, Many Miles Away_

* * *

As Prentiss hung up her phone, a small grin on her face, Morgan and Reid could only look on in a mixture of confusion and disbelief. She gave them an innocent little shrug.

"What?"

"I _cannot _believe you lied to Hotch," Morgan started.

"If he finds out you're as good as gone," Reid continued.

Prentiss raised her eyebrows at them. "Gone? Like fired gone?"

Reid shook his head. "No. Like, gone to the bottom of a river gone. Like 'Hey where's Emily?'"

"'Oh, I took care of her' gone," Morgan finished.

Prentiss laughed. "You guys are over exaggerating!"

"We're _not_," they flatly replied.

Currently the trio sat parked in front of a run-down gas station. It was considerably cheaper—by five cents—than the others they passed along the way. Though the lot was dimly lit and the station's windows smudged in dirt, it radiated a comely feel. Thankfully, an hour back, Reid politely ejected the CD Prentiss gifted to him and turned on the radio. Morgan and Prentiss then proceeded to jam out to rock and roll.

Reid sat awkwardly those thirty minutes, cringing whenever Morgan started punching the drummer's rhythm into his arm and snapping at the older man that it wasn't safe for driving.

Now they sat in a comfortable silence. They had picked up some one dollar coffee, two cups for Reid, and a bag of King-Sized Skittles which Morgan refused to share.

He ate them noisily. "So, where we sleepin' for the night?"

Prentiss' eyes lit up. She leaned forward. "Good question!"

Reid snorted at both of them. "The car."

Morgan stared. "You've got to be joking."

Prentiss frowned, though she wasn't upset in the slightest. More curious than anything else. "What? Why?"

"Because I planned to sleep in the car initially to save money for things like gas, coffee, and the actual vacation. I didn't know I'd have company," Reid reasonably answered.

Morgan sighed. "How much longer is the drive?"

Reid shrugged. "According to the map, just another three and a half hours."

"We've had longer car drives on cases," Prentiss commented. She sat back. "I think we'll be fine. We can make it to your town before midnight, Reid. Morgan—" He looked at her. She held out a hand. "Stop hogging those things and share."

Morgan laughed. "Yeah, okay," he said. He offered her a handful of multi-colored Skittles, and when she reached out to take them, snatched his palm away and ate them for himself, laughing like a loon. Prentiss shoved the back of his head.

"Ha, ha. Very funny."

Reid wasn't sure how it happened, or even when—which was alarming since he was sitting in the car the entire time—but suddenly Prentiss and Morgan were struggling for the Skittles, Reid was elbowed in the nose twice, and the bag tore in two.

Pieces of the rainbow went flying everywhere.

"Ow!" Morgan was hit in the eye, though no one but him was particularly sorry about it.

Prentiss started to laugh, her dark eyes wide, but stopped. She glanced at Reid, unsure of how he would take the terrible mess.

Reid released a long, weary breath. He twisted the key in the ignition and begun to pull out the parking space they were in. "I do _not _have enough coffee for this," he mumbled.

Prentiss sheepishly laughed and stretched her arm to ruffle his hair. Though he batted her arm away, his expression wasn't angry in the slightest. In fact he looked a bit amused at all the whining Morgan was doing over his 'wounded' eye.

So they left the mess in the car, Prentiss and Reid smiling every time a Skittle rolled beneath their feet.

Morgan just looked pissed.

* * *

**TBC**

**Sorry again!**


End file.
